Forget about having to put your hand up to be deso driver this festive season, because the Victorian government has just announced that travelling via public transport on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve won’t cost you a cent.
All trains, trams, buses and regional V/Line services will be free from 3am on Christmas Day to 3am on Boxing Day, with a regular Sunday timetable in place. Night Network services will also operate throughout the night, while services on Boxing Day will run to a public holiday timetable.
If you’re heading into the city for a New Year’s Eve soirée, fancy feast or to see the fireworks, all metropolitan and regional services will be free from 6pm on December 31 until 6am on January 1 – if that’s not a sign to stay and party late into the wee hours of the night, we don’t know what is.
From midnight to 1.45am, trains will run every 15 minutes. This will be followed by a 30-minute frequency until 2.45am and a 60-minute frequency from 3am. On the tram network, most services will operate all night running a five to 15-minute frequency between midnight and 3am, and every 60 minutes from 3am.
Just note that when travelling via V/Line on either Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve you’ll still need to book your seat, but you’ll be issued a ticket free of charge. Everyone else, leave your Myki at home.
For further information about travelling during the silly season, hit up the PTV website.